Bonds Rips Column That Suggested He Be Traded

Giants left fielder Barry Bonds, responding to a column in The Chronicle that said he should be traded, lashed out at the columnist yesterday, calling the article "crud."

"Look in the mirror and check yourself out before you judge," said Bonds, speaking two days after publication of the column by C.W. Nevius. The article prompted a flurry of calls on Saturday to radio stations, including KNBR.

Many fans supported Bonds -- to his surprise.

"There's a lot of people who stuck up for me. And I have to tip my hat to them, man," Bonds said. "That touched me. It was the first time I ever sat listening to the radio. . . . Someone said, 'Barry. Turn on the radio, man. You're, like, the whole talk of the whole Bay. Every radio station.' I said, 'I don't listen to that stuff.' They said, 'Just listen to it because you're getting a lot of support.' And I'm very grateful for that."

Bonds said he didn't read the article, but that he had it at home -- just in case he wanted to pick it up. That didn't stop Bonds from saying, "The article was a bunch of crud, more than anything else . . . I don't really care (about the piece). The fans said, 'He showed how ugly he was.' And that was the greatest thing about it. . . . When I listened to it, it was the first time I ever wanted to call a radio station and say, 'You know what: That was really good of you.' "

Bonds said some fans have not fully comprehended his life as a baseball player and a single parent. Bonds is separated from his wife, Sun, with whom he has two children. He said many fans who called KNBR pointed out that Bonds is going through a celebrated divorce, and thus not able to do everything off the field that he might like -- such as sign an endless number of autographs.

"I'm a single parent," Bonds said, explaining why he often tries to leave Candlestick Park as promptly as possible. "When I'm at home, I have to be with my kids. I have my responsibilities. The game's over, my kids have to have dinner. They have to be in bed at a certain time. They have to go to school. They have baseball games.

"KNBR said, 'You're not giving him any sort of respect for himself as a man, as a person, having his own responsibilities as well. His responsibility to you is on that field. And not every day is he going to be good. . . . You guys are dwelling on one mistake.' "

That mistake was from the game on June 5 against the New York Mets, when Bonds watched a ball go over his head in left field, thinking it was going to be a home run. It wasn't; it hit the fence -- and Bonds was later quoted (after hearing boos) that, "I don't care what they think, man.' "

As he did on June 5, Bonds said, "I honestly didn't see it. And when I did see it, it was too late. OK?"

Said Bonds: "It (response to the article) showed that people do have common sense. And people aren't going to allow something like that to happen. . . . All the good athletes and players go through certain controversies because they're so high profile."